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All of us have probably experienced sugar addiction at some point in our lives. And most of us are sugar addicts without even knowing it. Last week I ate sweets everyday because it was my birthday week and now I’m struggling to keep my hands off from the left-over cakes. In addition, I’m super tired and can’t stop dreaming of salty caramel latte with whipped cream on it. However, I know that my body has just got used to eating sugar and it isn’t good for me. I want to get rid of the slight addiction. But how do I do it? We all know how hard it is to stay away from sugar, especially because it’s everywhere.

Make a conscious decision to stay away from sugar

Recognize your habits and your sugar addiction. Why do you eat sugar that much? Do you eat sweets on certain time of the day or just whenever you are feeling down? Do you always say yes if someone offers you chocolate or do you usually have a piece of cake with a coffee? Or do you always drink your coffee with flavored syrups and whipped cream? Or maybe it’s just your habit to get some sweets from the store when you’re making a food shop when you’re hungry. Once you’ve figured out your habits and you feel like you want to cut down on sugar, you need to start the process by deciding to change your habits and consciously staying away from sugar.

Don’t be too hard on yourself

I think it’s more than okay to treat yourself every now and then to something sweet and yummy. I try to eat healthy and clean for about 90 percent of the time and then let myself eat almost whatever I want for the rest 10 percent of the meals. If you eat 5 meals a day, 10 percent means you could enjoy something more special on 4 meals a week. Or maybe it works for you if you choose two days every week when you could enjoy some cake, a nice latte or some chocolate. However, remember not to be too hard on yourself. Try to truly enjoy everything you eat and don’t beat yourself up if you have eaten too much sugar. If you are nice on yourself and don’t say no to all sweets and pastries, you probably find yourself craving them less.

Pay attention to your eating, sleeping and drinking habits

Do you eat regularly, at least 4 times a day? Eating regularly will help with a sugar addiction because your blood sugar will stay stable which makes it easier to say no to sugar. Also, eating enough protein and good carbs will help you to stay away from sugar. Protein and carbs such as quinoa or sweet potato make you feel full longer and they don’t make your blood sugar jump up high.

Whenever I’ve had a bad night’s sleep or I’m too tired I find myself craving anything sweet. And it is super hard to say no to sugar when I’m tired. That’s one of the reasons I really can’t control my cravings when I’m hungover. In addition, most alcoholic drinks contain lots of sugar and drinking too much or too often can also trigger a sugar addiction. However, drinking enough water is a good way to control your craving. Very often when I’m home I feel like eating something even though I’m actually just thirsty. So just remember to drink at least two liters of water every day – carrying a water bottle around everywhere is a good reminder. And remember that your body needs water already before you actually feel thirsty.

Satisfy your sweet tooth more naturally

I really loooove chocolate. I eat chocolate every week, usually on several days of the week. I’ve noticed that a trick that works for me is to sub raw chocolate/dark chocolate for sugary milk chocolate. Why? Because eating dark chocolate makes me really like the taste of real chocolate and after it normal milk chocolate tastes only like sugar. I usually start with 60% and go up to 85% dark chocolate. And my rule is to have only 2 pieces a day. Also berries and fruits are very good for satisfying the sweet tooth. One of my favorite snacks is sliced apple with some hummus – sugar and protein in the same packet. However, remember to be moderate with fruits and berries as well because they are just sugar after all.

Do you have any own tricks which work for you when trying to get rid of sugar? 🙂

Most of us probably spend our days sitting at a computer. Whenever I spend a whole day in a library I find myself sitting in a really bad posture several times a day. And when I leave, I realize how stiff my body feels, how much my back and shoulders ache and how I can barely focus on anything anymore. I feel like my blood circulation has slowed down significantly and I’m in a serious need of fresh air.

Earlier I would probably have headed out for just a run or a workout at gym and not paid any attention to stretching, slowing down and breathing. Today I know how different workouts can support one another – you can’t compromise strength for flexibility or the other way around because you really need them both. However, the most important thing is that you enjoy what you are doing.

Anyway, to the point of this post: what are the real benefits of yoga (or some of them because there are so many)?

Improved flexibility and muscle strength

It’s not true that yoga is just about sitting in a lotus-pose and meditating. There are so many different varieties for everyone, even to those seeking more physical exercise. For example vinyasa flow and ashtanga are quite physical forms focusing on dynamic flows and binding the movements and successions together with breath.

It’s also not true that you should be very flexible to try yoga. I have always been very lazy when it comes to stretching (I regret it now and every time I’m experiencing some back pains) but I know that yoga will improve my flexibility along the way. The best part is that I don’t feel like I’m stretching when I’m doing practising. Also, all the cool looking poses and asanas shouldn’t be the goals but rather means of making you feel better. Learning them gradually will improve your patience, strength and flexibility along the way.

Yoga helps you to focus

Practising regularly will help you to focus. Why? Because the most important thing about yoga is the breath. And when you try yoga for the first time you really have to push your mind to focus on your breathing. And whenever you are practising your mind will probably start wandering a bit until you realise it was breath that you were supposed to be focusing on. Breathing right doesn’t only improve your ability to concentrate but it also has a meditative effect on your mind and it helps you to relax. And did you know that breathing is one of the best ways to detox our bodies?

Yoga improves your posture and increases blood flow

Especially twisting poses, backbends and forward bends improve your posture and help to tackle back pains. They also help to protect your spine and bring more flexibility to it. Twisting poses, inverted poses and asana flows increase the blood flow which brings more oxygen to your cells and makes you feel more energetic and happy. Also, the higher levels of serotonin due to consistent practice make you feel happier and help to tackle depression.

November and December are usually very busy months which means that we need to pay more attention to time management. So many deadlines at the Uni or work, lots of pre-Christmas parties and other celebrations as well as Christmas preparations. So how to manage time and not to stress too much about all the things on the checklist? I listed my best tricks to keep up with a busy schedule.

1. Prioritise

Prioritising is probably the most important thing when it comes to time management. Decide what are the things you really have to finish and the things you really want to put your time into. Not all of these things will be your favorites but if you don’t want to start over that one task you’ve already postponed forever, you need to prioritise it.

2. It’s okay to say no sometimes

Remember that we only have 24 hours a day after all. We can’t possibly attend every single interesting event or say yes every time our cousin’s brother’s friend’s mum’s auntie asks us to hang out. Your career will most likely turn out better if you don’t burn yourself out by working overtime too often or by being part of too many projects. Your friends will understand if you have to say no sometimes. And your true friends will be your friends even if you didn’t go out with them every time they ask. Even fun social events might sometimes feel like they’re too much, especially if your week is full of them, so remember to prioritise yourself and your own wellbeing.

3. Write everything down on your calendar

Writing things down helps you to get a grasp of the big picture and manage your time. I think calendar works the same way as a diary – when you write your thoughts down on a paper, you sort of get rid of them and can manage them better. Instead of going through everything in your head all the time and stressing about time, you can just take a look at your calendar and see what’s on your schedule today. But remember not to write down only the deadlines but also for example the chapters you have to read from an exam book each day before the deadline.

4. Stop procrastinating or scrolling through social media every other minute

Do you know how much time you spend on your phone every day? Or how much time you spend procrastinating every day? Imagine if you spent all that time being productive and working on the things you have to finish. But how will you start? Well, it’s quite simple. Just put your phone away and start. 🙂 There are plenty of apps to help you with this; they will reward you every time you spend a certain time without touching your phone. But if you feel like the problem is in the a lack of motivation, take a look at my post here.

5. Pay attention to your sleeping habits

Sleep has a major effect on our concentration and productivity as well as time management. Whenever I’ve had a bad night’s sleep or haven’t had time to sleep long enough, I really can’t focus on anything and I feel like I’m all over the place. What works for me, is getting up the same time every morning and having a routine. If I have troubles falling asleep at night, I do a tough workout the next day to get my body nice and tired. Or if the problem is stressing too much, I make time for a long walk before going to bed and maybe write a page or two in my diary to unwind and feel relaxed before bedtime. However, the key is in the routines – eating a snack and going to bed around the same time every night is very important.

Your parents aren’t superhumans. They are just normal people and they actually want what’s best for you.

All the good things happen when you least expect them to. So annoying but so true. Also, you really can’t plan life too much. Trust me, everything won’t work out the way you imagine anyway and you would miss on so many amazing things if you did plan it all.

Complaining about things makes everything so much worse. My motto is “fake it till you make it” – meaning that acting positive and happy makes me positive and happy. Of course, you can open up to people when you’re feeling down, but complaining about things all the time won’t make anything better.

Things won’t change if you yourself don’t change them or change the way you see them.

You will be busy and stressed out as long as you make choices that lead you to that situation.

When you feel like universe is against you, it probably is. But maybe it just wants you to choose otherwise. Most likely good things are coming, but they are just something you didn’t expect them to be. You just need to learn to let go or change the way you see things.

Long distance relationships can actually work. Really well even.

You are the only person who cares about your extra 5 kilos. No one else cares. Your true friends see you as who you are, and everyone else is too busy focusing on themselves and their own insecurities.

You always get help when you ask for it. Most people love if they can help someone else, talk about their own passions and get a feeling that they are appreciated.

There’s probably never a right time for anything. I think that’s what they mean when they say that all there is, is now.

Traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. And puppies I believe.

Game of Thrones really is the best show in the world. And Grey’s Anatomy lol.

The less you care about other people’s opinions, the easier life is. Also, the more you think about just your own wellbeing and happiness (in a good way, not in an arrogant, don’t care about anyone else -way), the better life is.

If you have a list of strict criteria you’re seeking in your future partner, have fun living your life alone or in a miserable relationship!

We live on a freaking beautiful planet but seem to forget it very often. Traveling (not even that far) is the best way to realise it. I could probably spend my life hiking on mountains. How good would it be!

People who say they don’t like relaxing that much, because it makes them feel like they aren’t proceeding with their lives, probably need it the most. I used to be one of those people. Would be fun to visit a year younger Pirita’s head.

You can actually live without eating meat. Very well. You even get enough protein on plant-based diet. On top of that, it’s possible to cook super delicious vegetarian dishes.

This week has been all about contrasts. Some days staying home and watching way too much Netflix and not doing anything too productive. Other days waking up at seven, heading to a gym and finishing some projects at the Uni before meeting friends for coffee.

On Tuesday I took a thermos flask full of hot chocolate with me and headed to Seurasaari for a long walk to enjoy the good weather. It was very relaxing to just walk around the island by myself and soak in the not-so-warm Nordic sun while enjoying a cup (or three) of hot chocolate. Besides that, my day consisted of a long yoga sesh and just relaxing. Days off in the middle of a week are the best! 🙂

One of my favorite things at the moment are long coffee breaks. Whether it’s just a take away by myself or or a chai latte enjoyed while catching up with a friend, coffee breaks make everyday life just a little bit better. Especially if you let yourself enjoy some yummy cake as well.

My next trip to Australia is getting closer and we have some very exciting plans for my four-week stay. So happy I get to spend almost a month there when it’s the darkest time of the year in Finland. Can’t stop dreaming about beaches, warm sun, good food and vineyards. To get inspired and even more excited, I’ve gone through so many pics from last summer and other travels this year. Such good memories!

This weekend I’m visiting family in Lappeenranta. Just realised that I have all the coming weekends booked with birthday and graduation parties as well as pre-Christmas celebrations before I leave on my vacation. I really enjoy the holiday season and all the exciting events it brings. Last weekend we had such a good time at a Halloween party on Saturday and at a dinner with the same group on Sunday. It was especially nice because it’s not too often that all of us have a free weekend in our calendars.

When you think about hiking in Europe, the Alps are probably the first thing crossing your mind. However, there are so many less well known mountain ranges in Europe that are very much worth visiting. Last summer we visited some of them, including the High Tatras in Slovakia and the Dinaric Alps in Montenegro. Small villages called Ždiar and Žabljak were my favorite stops last summer. Both have a great atmosphere, are great places to relax and the locals are super friendly. In addition, some great hostels, where you can meet likeminded people, are situated in these small towns.

The High Tatras, Slovakia

The High Tatras mountain range is situated in the border of Slovakia and Poland. It is easy to reach both from Bratislava and Krakow/Zakopane by a train or a train and a bus, depending where you will stay. We stayed in Ždiar because Ginger Monkey, one of the best hostels ever (with the happiest hostel dog in the world), is situated in that tiny little village. Ždiar is a lovely, quiet and very traditional village, and it is close to many hiking trek starting points. There are plenty of small and super cheap restaurants in the village as well as a couple of small markets. If you stay in Ždiar, I recommend the hostel, just because everyone should experience its atmosphere. In addition, when visiting the Tatra Mountains, it is a necessity to try some Tatra Tea, which is a traditional Slovakian liquor.

There are plenty of hikes you can do, no matter if you were a beginner or a more advanced hiker. Most of them take around 6-8 hours and the time just flies. The best thing about these hikes is, that the scenery changes constantly and keeps things interesting. We had some cloudy days during our whole stay but at least it wasn’t too hot to hike. We only stayed in Ždiar for four nights but could have stayed for fourteen!

A super cozy restaurant with a magnificent view

Durmitor National Park, Montenegro

I saw a picture of Durmitor on my Facebook wall a year ago and decided that I really need to visit that beautiful national park. Because there’s so much to do, we already knew that we wanted to stay at the mountains for a bit longer and booked six nights. We stayed in Hiker’s Den Hostel, in a small town called Žabljak. Žabljak is also very easy to reach both from Kotor and Podgorica as well as from Bosnia and Serbia. Hiker’s Den was another super nice hostel with a great atmosphere and awesome staff. Both of the hostels are very popular, so they might be fully booked days beforehand during the high season.

In Durmitor, we went canyoneering on one day and hiking on two days. The hikes were a bit extreme to me but also lots of fun. The challenging part was that there was a heat wave in Montenegro, and it was +30 degrees even in Žabljak, which is situated 1400 meters above the sea level. Also, the hiking treks were almost completely exposed to the sun, which made a 8-hour-hike quite draining. The first hike was to the highest peak in Montenegro whereas the other one was to a peak with an ice cave, which was still covered with ice in the beginning of August. I enjoyed the latter one a bit more, because it had more variety to it, and visiting the ice cave was a nice way to cool down.